Any guitarists about?

[lucysmam]

Dd1 is happily playing her new guitar upstairs but she says her little finger is not quite long enough to reach the top string without a struggle so she's been using her thumb.

I've tried searching but with no joy - is there something I could buy her to help "extend" her finger a bit? Or an exercise you'd suggest to help her reach a bit easier?

Thank you!

YY that last graphic with the two thumbs is what I mean. It feels wrong at first, but you get used to it, and you'll get less hand cramp as well as being able to reach the top strings easier.

I don't hold my guitar at a 45 degree angle... and I never have done, not even when I had lessons at school. I don't think that's necessary.

Appreciate what you're saying, WheresmyChocolate, but in reality few people outside of an orchestra actually hold their guitar like that, and most people wouldn't want to. Rightly or wrongly.

What sort of stuff i she wanting to play @lucysmam ? I think this makes a difference. Obv classical guitar you sit down and play like that whereas stuff you need to stand up etc you wouldn't really hold it like that as much.

DS plays lead and rhythm now and stands using a strap but when he played classical he held it more like that with something under his foot to lift his knee. He also would have his thumb more like the first diagram now as he uses it for some techniques where he would play with it on the first string. He is pretty advanced technically so it definitely doesn't hinder him.

Appreciate what you're saying, WheresmyChocolate, but in reality few people outside of an orchestra actually hold their guitar like that, and most people wouldn't want to. Rightly or wrongly.

All the best ones do.

Brian May

Jimi Hendrix

Eric Clapton

I think there's some miscommunication here. Your DD shouldn't need to put her letter finger on the top string when playing an F.

In rock guitar it's an acceptable alternative to hold down the low E string with the thumb (Jimi Hendrix was famous for using this technique), but I should imagine it is frowned on in more formal musical styles.

Whereismychocolate you do realise, don't you, that all those guitarists are holding the neck in the way that you said was incorrect?

That stance isn't like the one you initially posted though, is it...

That stance isn't like the one you initially posted though, is it...

I initially posted that it should be held at a 45 degree angle. They are all holding it at a 45 degree angle, which is why I posted the pictures, to illustrate the most important aspect, the 45 degree angle.

She get used to it with practise, its all muscle training. The thumb thing is a real techniuqe, watch Hendrix do it

Whereismychocolate you do realise, don't you, that all those guitarists are holding the neck in the way that you said was incorrect?

It is incorrect. But an experienced player can hold it incorrectly and get away with. I can play my guitar standing on my head, it doesn't make it the correct way to play it. The OP was asking about a beginner who is struggling to reach the correct finger positions. The reason she can't reach is because she's holding it incorrectly. It really is as simple as that.

His actual technique was pretty awful but it worked

And my man Robert

@Glitterfisher she's very into Taylor Swift at the moment, so probably a lot of her music.

She's tried sitting, and standing, to play and has decided she's quite comfortable stood with her right foot raised on dd2's step stool for the moment rather than sitting down. & she says she needs to hold it at an angle like in the pictures above so that she can see what she's doing.

The thumb images have been useful @WheresMyChocolate. She says it feels weird but she will try and remember to keep her hand like that.

Taylor Swift has some super super easy songs, I started out (in my second incarnation as a guitarist, not at school :o) on Taylor Swift as they are so easy to play and you can get to belting along at the same time in a really short time :) :)

I recommend Fearless and Breathe - there are others I've forgotten now, but those are pretty much three chords. She does a lot of three chord songs, really easy to play.

Looking at those latest photos then most guitarists hold the guitar in that way at an angle if they stand up with a strap but it isnt as extreme as the original picture you posted so i didnt realise sorry but essentially the same.

@lucysmam she may find it easier with a strap so it will do the same thing without her having to put her foot up. What DS did when he first learnt was to use ultimate tabs website I think it is called and transposed the chords to the easiest version and put a capo on to transpose if required, you can simplify them also. It's a great way to get started. He avoided anything with a B in lol.

There is no law against thumbing the bass string.

Hope she’s getting to play stuff she enjoys.

@NotDavidTennant I think that is what I meant re DS using his thumb on the bottom string. If Hendrix did it then it can't be too bad

One of the reasons electric guitars have narrow necks is so you can use your thumb.

@Hirsutefirs I had no idea about that

Makes sense though!